UFC 291 is finally here, and boy is it a huge card! There’s no Golden belt on the line, but instead Silver. That’s right, the BMF belt that has always belonged to Jorge Masvidal is finally being passed down.
There are no more worthy candidates than Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje. But it doesn’t end there, the co-main is fueled by Jan Blachowicz and Alex Pereira at Middleweight. We’ll see the likes of Stephen Thompson and Michel Pereira throw down at Welterweight. Tony Ferguson and Bobby Green will also meet in the Middle at Lightweight. This card will deliver as promised, we can’t wait.
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Check out all our UFC tips for UFC 291 including predictions for the Main Event, as well as two other fights on the card:
Best Bet – Poirier vs Gaethje – Fight to End in KO/TKO – $1.62
There’s no doubt, the Main Event is going to be a cracker. There’s a fight that happens every now and then that you know will be a certified banger. The main event at UFC 291 fits the description. This is actually their second meeting in the octagon.
They faced off back in 2018 in Arizona, with Poirier winning the fight via TKO in the fourth round, a belter of a fight. Poirier has 13 UFC post-fight bonuses and Gaethje has an incredible 11 in 11 fights. It’s a fan-friendly affair with two durable men throwing down. Weirdly, both men have won the UFC interim Lightweight title, and both lost to Khabib.
It’s going to be a head on collision, 53 wins between them and 42 finishes. Altitude may be an issue, being in Salt Lake City, which probably favours Poirier based on where he trains. It’s going to be an absolute bloodbath, with both fighters pushing the pace. For this reason, the best value is with the method of victory – which is the fight to end in KO/TKO.
Next Best – Blachowicz vs Pereira – Fight Not to go the Distance – $1.38
The Co-Main event is also going to be an absolute ripper we can’t wait. Two former champs in two different divisions go head-to-head. Blachowicz defeated Dominick Reyes back in 2020 by KO/TKO. With one title defence loss to Glover Teixeira, he’s been looking to get that belt back ever since.
He did actually get that chance, however, his bout with Ankalaev ended in a split draw. Alex Pereira is probably the scariest guy in the UFC. His rise in the UFC was pretty rapid, with three quick wins, he was awarded a title shot. He beat his kickboxing rival Israel Adesanya via TKO in the fifth round. The first one to finish Adesanya in the promotion.
He did in fact lose their rematch, but that promoted the move up in weight class. Pereira's gameplan is obvious, use his striking and finish it on the feet. Blachowicz is also an elite striker, but also has an advantage on the ground – like we saw when he beat Adesanya. Because of the heavy artillery from both men, I don’t see this one going the distance. Perhaps inside four rounds.
Value Bet – Green vs Ferguson – Ferguson to Win – $3.85
Two UFC legends will meet in the middle of the octagon this Sunday. Although late in their careers, they still have plenty to give. Ferguson is on a 5-fight losing streak and it hurts to see it. Once upon a time, he was sitting on a 12-fight win streak and was lining up to take on Khabib for the LW belt.
Losses to Gaethje, Diaz and Chandler have certainly had an impact and he is nowhere as durable as he was in the past, but he sure is motivated. He’s looking for another five fights and thinks he has a chance at the belt, although we know that's probably not possible, he looked great early against Chandler.
Green is crafty, he’s always been a slick boxer, with 29 wins under his belt. He even stepped up on late notice against Islam, although he lost, he’s always down to scrap. Look, I’m going with my heart and taking Ferguson here, $3.85 for a win is crazy. He still has the cardio and the skills – he just needs that W.
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